diff --git a/gnu/build/hurd-boot.scm b/gnu/build/hurd-boot.scm
index aea2ac3307..8c4f0ac09b 100644
--- a/gnu/build/hurd-boot.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/hurd-boot.scm
@@ -232,14 +232,14 @@ (define devices
                                                             #o666)))
 
   (for-each scope-set-translator servers)
-  (mkdir* (scope "dev/vcs/1"))
-  (mkdir* (scope "dev/vcs/2"))
-  (mkdir* (scope "dev/vcs/2"))
-  (rename-file (scope "/dev/console") (scope "/dev/console-"))
+  (mkdir* "dev/vcs/1")
+  (mkdir* "dev/vcs/2")
+  (mkdir* "dev/vcs/2")
+  (rename-file (scope "dev/console") (scope "dev/console-"))
   (for-each scope-set-translator devices)
 
   (false-if-EEXIST (symlink "/dev/random" (scope "dev/urandom")))
-  (mkdir* (scope "dev/fd"))
+  (mkdir* "dev/fd")
   (false-if-EEXIST (symlink "/dev/fd/0" (scope "dev/stdin")))
   (false-if-EEXIST (symlink "/dev/fd/1" (scope "dev/stdout")))
   (false-if-EEXIST (symlink "/dev/fd/2" (scope "dev/stderr"))))